Page 50 of Castling the Rook (Checkmate 3)

16

Andi

It’s Over

Idon’t run away from Riley’s house at three in the morning like I’d planned. I don’t play hard to get or tease him about non-commitments on my last night with him. I simply let him serve me dinner, light a candle, and pour more wine. We laughed while we ate chicken with our hands, then Riley laughed some more when I did the same with the salad.

We played a game of Bananagrams, and I learned Riley is competitive as hell. I mean, the writing was already on the wall; what with the way he’d step up each time I challenged him during sex.

But a game of words?

Totally didn’t see that coming.

We played for hours, we stopped mentioning goodbyes, then he took me to bed and treated me to sweet, slow, gentle sex that made my heart skip a beat.

I’m not sure what it’s like to make love, and I was never curious enough to try, but after last night, I wonder if he showed me how it could be…

Hot, rough, and fast sex is fun, but slow and gentle is a whole other box of donuts I’m immensely glad I got to experience. But now it’s time to go, I’ve already said my goodbyes to Lindsi and the kids, Oz knows where I slept last night, Lindsi slapped my ass on the way out the door, and Ben glowered the way no sixteen-year-old should.

He’s too serious for someone his age.

“Can I drive you to the airport, Dee?”

I turn away from Riley’s kitchen window and draw in a silent breath when his bare chest presses against mine. Jeans sit low on his hips, and his hair glistens with water from the shower we shared only twenty minutes ago. We’ve touched, tasted, and explored everything we can in our time together, and now it’s done.

It’s not a bitter ending. In fact, its sweet and perfect. The closest thing to a romance I’ve ever experienced.

But now it’s time to go.

Leaning in, his lips slide along the column of my neck until my toes curl and the breath I’d pulled in comes out on a sigh. “It doesn’t have to be weird, Dee. Just a friend driving a friend to the airport. You can kiss me before you board… or not. It can be whatever you want it to be.”

“Okay.” I stretch my neck to give him room. “I’d like that. How will you get home?”

“You’re renting your car?”

“Uh-huh, and I’ve gotta return it today.”

“That’s cool. I’ll take care of it for you, then I’ll call a friend to pick me up and bring me back.”

“Are you sure it’s not a bother? I’m perfectly capable of driving myself, and you can save yourself the hour drive each way.”

“I want to.” Pulling back, his green eyes stare into mine until the oxygen stops in my chest. “I want to see you off, Dee. I want one more kiss, then I can pat your ass and watch you walk away from me. It’s my payment for a week of fan-fucking-tastic sex.”

My lips quiver with a smile. “It really was a good week of sex. I intend to buy a new dildo when I get home. I’m gonna name him Riley.”

He grins. “Anewdildo? You already have an old one?”

“Of course.” Resting my hand on his hip, I turn on my innocent act and pretend I’m embarrassed for owning a sex toy. “But his name ain’t Riley. I want a new one for you, then I’ll call you while I use it.”

Pleasure rumbles through his chest as he squeezes my hips. “I’d love that. It’d send me insane to not be able to touch you, but I won’t be able to touch no matter what, so I’ll take the call.”

“Okay.” Stepping onto my tiptoes, I press a kiss to his lips and sigh when his lashes flutter against my cheek. “It’s time to go. Are you ready?”

“To let you go? No, I’m not ready for that.” He rests his forehead against mine. “I’m not trying to get heavy on you, and I promise not to make this weird, but I’m gonna miss the fuck out of you.”

I chew on my bottom lip to stop myself from spouting off things I really shouldn’t. I can’t mention how my heart might be getting involved, or how my stomach drops at the thought of boarding that plane. Instead, I nod and hope he understands that I agree with him. That I’ll miss him. And that I’ll be back, and when I am, I’ll hope he didn’t marry up yet.

“Alright. Come on.” He turns away and grabs his shirt from the back of the dining chair and shrugs it over his shoulders. Before I have time to change my mind, I find myself sitting in the passenger seat of my rental car with my purse on my lap and my eyes on the road. Strangely, my eyes itch, almost like I want to shed a tear or two in farewell. Not a full cry, nothing heartbreaking or breathtaking or stupid. Just a tear or two to ease the pressure in my chest, and acknowledge that this is kind of special.

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